About this Event
Join us for the grand opening of Beyond the Kitchen, an innovative new commercial kitchen incubator creating opportunity for San José food entrepreneurs while putting underused community space to work in a whole new way.
Led by Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center in partnership with Emmanuel Baptist Church and supported by Wells Fargo, Beyond the Kitchen transforms existing church kitchen space into an affordable, licensed commercial kitchen where aspiring food entrepreneurs can build their businesses. Entrepreneurs also receive training, one-on-one technical assistance and business development support, creating a pathway from a great food idea to a sustainable small business.
This celebration will bring together community leaders, entrepreneurs, faith leaders and small-business supporters, with remarks from San José Mayor Matt Mahan, Sharon Miller, CEO of Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, Pastor Jason Reynolds of Emmanuel Baptist Church, and Christina Pels-Martinez, Wells Fargo Regional Branch Network Executive for the South Bay Region.
But this won’t be your typical grand opening. Following the program and ribbon cutting, guests will have the opportunity to meet participating food entrepreneurs, sample their creations and watch as judges select entrepreneurs to receive $1,250 and $750 in seed grants to help support their businesses.
Beyond the Kitchen demonstrates what can happen when community institutions, small-business expertise and philanthropy come together: existing spaces can become engines for entrepreneurship and economic opportunity. The model benefits Emmanuel Baptist Church by activating its kitchen as a community asset, while giving local entrepreneurs access to the facilities and support they need to launch and grow. The vision also extends beyond a single church, with the program designed as a model that can be replicated in other communities and is open to faith organizations across denominations.
Come hungry, meet the entrepreneurs behind the food, and help us celebrate a new approach to building local businesses and stronger communities.
Thursday, October 15, 2026 | 10:00–11:30 a.m.
Emmanuel Baptist Church |
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Event venue & nearby stays
Emmanuel Baptist Church, 467 North White Road, San Jose, United States
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